Our 2nd success: We appear to have actually eliminated most– if not all– of the cored rock that stayed in Sample Tube 261.
After the robotic arm oriented the drill with Sample Tube 261s open end angled around 9 degrees below horizontal, the rovers drill spindle rotated and then extended. The images from the experiment reveals a small quantity of sample material falling out of the drill bit/sample tube. Given that some of the sample had currently been lost, the team chose it was time to return the rest of the sample to Mars and hopefully totally empty the tube to ready it for possibly another sampling attempt. We have brand-new Mastcam-Z images looking down the drill bit into the sample container that indicate little if any particles from the cored-rock sample stays.
Before and After Perseverance Sample Tube Shake: An animated GIF portrays the Martian surface listed below the Perseverance rover, revealing the results of the January 15, 2022, percussive drill test to clear cored-rock fragments from among the rovers sample tubes. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
The group has actually made great progress implementing the initial healing actions laid out last week. Our first success: The upper two pebbles were ejected from the bit carousel throughout a test. This is terrific news, as these little pieces of particles are thought to be the cause of the not successful transfer of the drill bit and sample tube into the carousel back on December 29. Our second success: We appear to have gotten rid of most– if not all– of the cored rock that remained in Sample Tube 261.
Here is the most recent …
Pebbles in Bit Carousel
On Monday, January 17, the WATSON cam imaged the bit carousel and its pebbles– and also took images underneath the rover to develop just what was down there before any recovery techniques were used. Later that very same Martian day, we turned the bit carousel about 75 degrees prior to returning it back to its initial position. WATSON imaging showed the 2 upper pebbles were ejected throughout the process. Tuesday night we also received the 2nd set of under-rover images, which reveal 2 brand-new pebbles on the surface, indicating the ejected pebbles made it fully through bit carousel and back onto the surface area of Mars as planned.
Turning Perseverances Bit Carousel: An annotated GIF illustrates a rotational test of Perseverances bit carousel in which two of four rock fragments were ejected. The 5 images that comprise the GIF were obtained by the rovers WATSON imager on January 17, 2022. Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
The other 2 pebbles, situated below the bit carousel, remain. It is interesting to keep in mind that some of the initial trials performed on our testbed here in the world show that the place of the 2 leftover pebbles may not present a considerable problem with bit carousel operation, but we are continuing analysis and screening to verify this.
Remaining Sample in Tube
On Saturday, January 15, the team carried out an experiment using Perseverances rotary-percussive drill. After the robotic arm oriented the drill with Sample Tube 261s open end angled around 9 degrees below horizontal, the rovers drill spindle turned and then extended. Our impressive Mastcam-Z instrument (which has video ability formerly utilized to document a few of Ingenuitys flights) recorded the event. The imagery from the experiment reveals a percentage of sample material falling out of the drill bit/sample tube. Later that exact same Martian day, the bit was positioned vertically over “Issole” (the rock that supplied this latest core) to see if extra sample would fall out under the force of gravity. However, Mastcam-Z imaging of 261s interior after this subsequent maneuver showed it still included some sample.
Perseverance Expels Rock Fragments: A portion of a cored-rock sample is ejected from the rotary percussive drill on NASAs Perseverance Mars rover. The images was gathered by the rovers Mastcam-Z instrument on January 15, 2022. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/ MSSS.
Considered that some of the sample had currently been lost, the group decided it was time to return the rest of the sample to Mars and ideally completely empty the tube to all set it for possibly another sampling effort. On Monday, January 17, the group commanded another operation of the rotary percussive drill in an attempt to dislodge more product from the tube. With televisions open end still pointed towards the surface, we essentially shook the heck out of it for 208 seconds– by means of the percussive function on the drill. Mastcam-Z images taken after the occasion shows that numerous pieces of sample were dumped onto the surface area. Is Tube 261 clear of rock sample? If any debris from the cored-rock sample remains, we have brand-new Mastcam-Z images looking down the drill bit into the sample container that indicate little. The sample tube has actually been cleared for reuse by the task.
Perseverances Sample Tube Looks Clean: This image, taken by the Mastcam-Z cam aboard NASAs Perseverance Mars rover on January 20, 2022, shows the rover effectively expelled the staying big fragments of cored rock from a sample tube held in its drill. Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/ MSSS.
Future Moves.
The team is still reviewing the data and going over next actions. Like all Mars missions, weve had some unforeseen difficulties. Each time, the group and our rover have actually risen to the celebration. We expect the very same outcome this time– by taking incremental actions, analyzing results, and then carrying on, we prepare to completely resolve this difficulty and return to expedition and sampling at Jezero Crater.
Written by Rick Welch, Deputy Project Manager at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory.